Astarael, the Weeper
by Death's Final Rose
Summary: Lirael uses the largest and most powerful of bells, for the first and last time.


**A/N This story is written just after Garth Nix's Abhorsen, okay? But I haven't read it yet. But I have the basic idea, so please don't criticise me for getting the facts wrong. I only know stuff from what I read from Sabriel/Lirael fanfics. I don't know if Hedge gets defeated in Abhorsen, but if he did, he came back. Somehow. But this should be a fun read. (I hope) Please review! Any flames are welcome; just give me advice while you're at it.**

Lirael stroked the Disreputable Dog slowly, her mind streaming with thoughts. They were in the Abhorsen's House. Neither Sabriel nor Touchstone was present. Mogget sat licking his fur, his amber eyes not leaving the Dog's. Sameth was shovelling food into his mouth. Lirael didn't know how he could eat it so fast. She wondered for a moment if he always ate like this, or if he just was for that day.

Just then, Lirael's Death sense prickled slightly. She reached slowly into the Charter, and plucked two Charter marks from it. Lirael stood up, looking around. Sameth was already on his feet, his hand reaching for his Charter-spelled sword. With a moment's hesitation, the Prince strode towards Lirael and offered her the hilt of the sword.

"Fool," Mogget said. He was pacing in circles. "Lirael has to spell her own sword. Another thing that proves you didn't read _The Book of the Dead. _Besides, she already wields Nehima, which is forged by the Wallmakers."

Sam blushed. "Oops."

"But I took a spelled sword and used it once," Lirael said. "A sword called Binder, owned by a Clayr called Mirelle."

"Mirelle?" Mogget stopped his pacing. "I know Mirelle of old. Always thought she was a crazy old bat."

"Mogget!" Sam scolded. He was now holding out the Abhorsen bandolier out at Lirael. She slipped it on nervously, and watched as Sam headed towards the throng of sendings. Suddenly, one of the sendings leapt forward. It fell to the ground, and the rest of the sendings turned.

Lirael reached for Saraneth, and pulled bell out, making sure she didn't ring it by accident. Dead Hands were swarming into the room, but were being rebuffed by the sendings.

"How?" Lirael shouted. "The waterfall!"

"They got help from the necromancer," Mogget said grimly. The Free Magic creature sheathed his claws and jumped onto Lirael's shoulder. He draped himself around her neck, and seemed to fall asleep. Lirael saw a flash red and brown and realized who it was. Hedge had arrived. A tall, balding man with leather armour that was reinforced with red-enamelled metal plates stepped out from the throng of Dead.

"Kill the Prince and Abhorsen!" he roared, pointing the point of his sword at Sam, and swinging it to Lirael. The Dead moved forward eagerly. Hedge pulled out a bell- Saraneth. He held it up to start ringing, but Lirael beat him to the race. She swung her own Saraneth downwards, and several loud peals sounded. The Dead Hands clapped their misshapen fingers to where their ears once were, or still were. Hedge recovered first. He shouted a Free Magic spell, something that made the air smell of metal and blood. Lirael cried out as a flock of Gore Crows entered the huge room, cawing loudly. Lirael spun Saraneth, the bell's deep voice resounding loudly. The Dead all cowered for a moment, but recovered quickly.

Lirael looked around, still ringing Saraneth. She moved the bell in a slow figure eight, and bursts of Charter marks sprung into the air. The smell of Free Magic exploded in the, the tang of metal. Lirael unsheathed Nehima, and pointed it at a Dead Hand. She felt the Charter magic flowing through the sword, and felt for the Charter. Lirael pushed the magic through the sword, and a bolt of lightning spun from the tip. The Dead Hand screeched, a high, unearthly sound. Its deformed mouth made the sound even stranger. "Use Kibeth!" the Disreputable Dog shouted. The Dog barked, a sound of Free Magic that was bound by the Charter. Half a dozen Dead Hands turned around and walked out of the door. Out of a far window Lirael saw them throwing themselves into the river surrounding the Abhorsen's House. She shuddered, and drew Kibeth carefully. Lirael replaced Saraneth in its rightful place in the bandolier, and rung Kibeth slowly. Kibeth rang out happily, a cheerful note. Lirael remembered the process in the _Book of the Dead. _Two figure eights and an upward flick. Lirael completed the move, and several Dead Hands, accompanied by a Shadow Hand, danced all the way back to Death.

Suddenly, Lirael heard the commanding tone of Saraneth. Hedge was ringing his own bell. Lirael was forced to her knees, still clutching Kibeth and Nehima. She tried to ring Kibeth, but her hand wouldn't move. It was the first time her golden hand had failed her. Lirael tried to raise her head, but couldn't. She felt for the Charter, and found it. As the rush of Charter marks flooded her mind, she moved. Lirael swung Kibeth frantically, but saw it was too late. Sam was kneeling in front of Hedge, who had his sword raised above his head. A single move would bring it crashing onto Sam's unprotected neck. "Sam!" Lirael screamed, running forward. A streak of white darted ahead of her, and Lirael recognised the Charter-spelled collar. Mogget.

Lirael swished Kibeth in a quick figure eight, and Hedge twitched slightly. Otherwise, he was virtually unaffected. The Dog sprung forward, her jaws open. Hedge didn't even look up. He commanded a single word, and the Disreputable Dog was flung into the far wall. Lirael screamed, and threw Kibeth to the ground. The bell shattered, but Lirael felt no loss. She ran towards Hedge, and the already moving sword. Lirael plunged into Hedge, pushing him to the ground. The sword swung down, and imbedded itself in the fine mahogany floor. A Shadow Hand grabbed Lirael's arms, and she swung her leg around behind her. Her foot connected with bone, and the Hand released Lirael. She turned back to Hedge, and was about to strike when he spun around to face her. "I've wanted to do this for a long time," he breathed. Saraneth rang out, and Lirael crumpled. She felt nothing, and was only able to watch, helplessly, as Hedge pointed his sword at Sameth.

A bolt of black lightning erupted from the sword's point, metallic smell of blood accompanying its arrival. The Free Magic spell hit Sam, and the Prince crumpled. A trickle of blood wound its way out of his mouth and down his chin. "Sam!" Lirael screamed. She felt his life slipping away, and gripped Nehima tightly.

Prince Sameth, the son of the Abhorsen Sabriel and the King of the Old Kingdom Touchstone was no more.

Lirael wanted to slip into Death, and drag Sam from the river, back into Life. But time was spare, and Hedge was too near. He aimed his sword at Lirael, and a ball of blue-white energy erupted from the tip. Lirael raised Nehima, and the ball of light hit it. The sword glowed a burning white, and Lirael dropped it. She was armed with only six more bells.

There was one thing she could do…

Lirael raised a hand and touched a bell in her bandolier. A chill of cold electric shivered up her fingertips, but Lirael pulled the bell out. She saw the Disreputable Dog; saw Mogget, a small ball of white that didn't move, and Sameth's body.

Lirael raised the bell and rang it. The deep chime sang out loudly as Charter marks blossomed in the air.

The bell Lirael, Daughter of the Clayr and the Abhorsen-in-waiting had rung was Astarael, the Weeper.

She felt herself enter Death, and let the current take her under quickly, through the First Gate, past the Second, all the way to the Final Precinct.

**Like it? I'll be posting another story some other time. Another Garth Nix one. But next time, it's off to Sabriel and Touchstone's side! Please review. Just click the cute little purple box below, and review! –Via.**


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